The New Dauntless
by Tris and Tobias Forever
Summary: ********SEQUEL TO DAUNTLESS OR CANDOR******** Its time for two new Eatons to go through initiation. River and Miles Eaton go through initiation with their friend, Scarlett, and their enemy, West. What will happen when one of them get a new lover? How will they deal with their parents being instructors? What will become of dauntless when the leadership changes?
1. Chapter 1

River POV:

Most teenagers of the age of sixteen are having the most nerve wrecking day of their life because in a couple of minutes this year's choosing ceremony begins. I'm not one of those, I mean I am sixteen and I am choosing today but I'm not nervous, I know where I belong. I always have even if my test results were inconclusive like mom and dad said they would probably be.

Amar walks on the stage and stands behind the choosing bowls with each faction's substance in them stones for abnegation, glass for candor, water for erudite, soil for amity, and lit coals for dauntless. Amar became our new head faction leader after the other three retired and Max died five years ago. Will continued his job as a faction leader and dad joined them, they have spent the last five years restoring dauntless to its original set of mind. I smile at Amar when he looks over at me; he smiles back before turning to the crowd and beginning the ceremony.

I have heard him practice this speech so many times I can practically recite it myself. He addresses the virtues of the five factions and the fact that this is our first choice as independent members of our society. When he is done with his speech he pauses for a minute before calling the first name.

"Oscar Williams." I know who Oscar is though I've never talked to him. He's a dauntless born so I've seen around the compound and at school before. Oscar slowly walks onto the stage and takes his knife out of Amar's hand. He cuts his hand and drops a few drops of blood on the coals. "Dauntless!" Amar announces loudly as the dauntless cheer. We accept everyone who chooses dauntless but it is the best when we keep a dauntless born instead of losing them to another faction.

I don't pay close attention after the third or fourth name but I do pay attention to who chooses dauntless and who decides to leave dauntless. Thankfully no dauntless born have transferred and we have gained three transfers, two from erudite and surprisingly one from amity. I do, however, pay very close attention when Amar calls out, "West Reed." West is Peter's son and my mom has told me about what he did to her. And the funny thing is the apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree. We have never been friends, especially after I fought him when we were twelve and won. Also, he got suspended for starting the fight. This caused him to basically become the one person in dauntless that knows me who doesn't like me. Of course he decides to stay in dauntless, probably just so he can beat me up during stage one of initiation.

I again only pay attention to who picks dauntless and who leaves dauntless. Still, no one has transferred out of dauntless and the only dauntless born left are my brother, Miles, and I. We have also gained two candor transfers.

The next name Amar calls is mine. I don't hesitate when Amar hands me the knife, I cut my hand and drop my blood on the lit coals making a sizzling noise. I walk to where the rest of the dauntless initiates stand and wait for the ceremony to be over. And at the end, after Amar's closing remarks, all the dauntless members and initiates alike run down the stairs and out the front door. We then run to the train that is just starting to pass by. The members and dauntless born initiates run along the train and jump into a car of the train. We've done it a million times by now so it is like second nature. But I watch the transfers get into the same train car as us dauntless born initiates and they seem to do okay but not perfectly.

I look around the train car and see that there is sixteen initiates including myself, eleven dauntless born and five transfers. I then notice the three people who stand in the shadow that the sun creates in the train and smile. The three people walk out into the open, where we can all see them, and I was right. There stands Amar, my mom, and Aidan who helps my mom and dad train initiates. Aidan is only seventeen but he is an amazing dauntless member.

"Wow Amar, we have a small group this year," my mom says.

"We sure do. Only five transfers. Why do you think that is Tris?" Amar says seriously.

"I'm not quite sure, maybe word got around that Four, Aidan, and I are bad ass instructors that no one wants to mess with." Amar considers this even though he knows that they are doing this to intimidate the transfers.

"That's possible. Do you think so too Aidan?" Amar finally says.

Aidan is as good at keeping the humor in so he says, "I could understand that. If I were them I would be pretty terrified of us too," with a smile on his face. I can't hold it back anymore; I let a small chuckle escape my mouth. This causes Amar to come over and stand right in front of me. And I got my mom's shortness so he towers over me but I'm not intimidated at all, I keep the smile on my face.

"What have we here, dauntless born underestimating her superiors?" Amar asks not really addressing anyone.

"Oh come on Amar, I would never underestimate someone who has seen me in diapers before," I say and let out another giggle.

Amar can't help it this either, he smiles. "Well, I'm glad the reason that you don't underestimate me is because I have seen you in diapers before. That makes me feel so much more intimidating."

"Well, that's coming from someone who has known you their whole life. You're still really intimidating to most others." I walk over to my mom and put an arm on her shoulder. "Just like my mom over here. She doesn't intimidate me much, but if one of my fellow initiates were to act up I have no doubt that she would decide to throw knives at them." I drop my arm and step over to Aidan. "Same with Aidan, I'm not very intimidated by him, but only because he knows dad and dad knows him and dad would break every bone in his body if he ever tried to hurt me. Right Miles?"

"Absolutely, and if you think these three are intimidating," he says to the rest of the initiates, "wait until you meet our younger brother. He's only eight but he has beaten me in s fight a few times. And I have instructors for parents so….. my chances are probably better than yours."

"Well thank you Miles for exposing our secret weapon to the rest of the initiates who don't already know who Jonah is. We really appreciate it," mom says sarcastically.

Miles just smiles at mom and looks at me. I roll my eyes and step back over to mom, wrapping my arms around her. "its okay mom, I'll get back at him if you don't beat me to it. And that wasn't your only secret weapon."

"And what may that be?"

"Lynn," I whisper into her ear. A devilish smile appears on her face and I hold back my laughter as I release her and walk back over to Miles.

"Oh. Thanks for reminding me River, I forgot about that."

"Why is it that I'm terrified now?" Miles whispers to me and I just smile again, not answering his question. We all sit in silence for another ten minutes before I see people rolling onto the roof top. I look over at Scarlett, who is like my sister even though she is Christina and Uriah's daughter, and smile. She understands my silent message because she walks with me to the door. Together we take a few steps back and get a running start to jump onto the roof.

I land on my feet and it takes me a few steps to regain my balance. I walk to the crowd of dauntless forming at the edge of the building where Aidan stands on the ledge. Miles and Scarlett walk up next to me just as Aidan starts to speak.

"Initiates, you have passed the first two tests to become a dauntless. But now you must face another, you must jump off this building into the unknown. It is the only entrance you can take today. If you cannot muster the bravery it takes to do so you will be escorted to the factionless section of the city and will not be allowed to return," he pauses for a second to let it soak in, "Who wants to go first?"

I walk to the ledge and step onto it without trouble. I know what's at the bottom hole that leads into our compound, a net that will cradle my fall. I take one look at the crowd and smile. I jump and let my arms hang out so it looks like I have wings but my joy is soon stopped by the net that I knew would be waiting at the bottom for me. The net shoots me back up about ten feet but when I hit the net again my body doesn't leave the surface.

A hand appears at the edge of the net and I grab it knowing already that it belongs to my dad. He helps me off the net and smiles down at me. I look exactly like my mom but I have the same dark blue eyes that look at me now.

"Hey dad," I say as if it were any other day instead of my choosing day and he smiles.

"First jumper- River!" he shouts to the crowd of dauntless that surrounds this side of the net. He then turns back to me and says, "Welcome back home sweetheart."

"It's good to be back." I stand off to the side and wait for everyone else to jump. Next to hit the net is Miles, followed by Scarlett. The next to jump is Connor, he's a dauntless born and is also Scarlett's boyfriend and has been for a year. After that is West who glares at me and then walks over to one of the members who are here. The rest of the order of when they jump is the amity girl named Rose, Oscar a dauntless born boy, Juliann a dauntless born guy, Jackson a dauntless born, Dylan a candor girl, Cassidy a dauntless born girl, Mitchell an erudite boy, and finally Logan also from a boy from erudite. Then mom, Amar, and Aidan jump and join dad who is standing in front of the hallway that will lead us to the pit.

"Hello everyone and welcome to dauntless, my name is Four and I'll be one of the instructors. Along with Tris and Aidan who I assume you met on the train, correct?" dad really just asks mom and Aidan the question and they nod in response.

"Well then, I am to inform you that we will have the three dauntless leaders present throughout initiation that includes Amar, me, and Will who you will meet at dinner. Now you will have to bear with us because we are still going through transitions between leaders and we had to make major changes to initiation." Dad says and points to mom to continue.

"First off, there will be three weeks of stage one which focuses on your physical body. Second, you will have three days of stage two where you will go through simulations very much like the aptitude tests but you will learn how to overcome your fears. Lastly, you will go through your fear landscape once. In this you could experience any number of fears but most people have ten to twenty fears."

"What's the lowest?" an erudite boy, Mitchell I think asks. I love when someone asks that question when dad is present.

"Four," I say before my mom can respond. Dad looks at me with a smile on his face and winks at me, I smile back at him. He knows that I love to answer the question as much as I like people asking it. There are an assortment of responses, mostly from the transfers, like 'How is that possible?' 'They're kidding right?' most the dauntless born just smile because the legendary Four is well-known around the compound.

"Alright everyone, quiet down," Amar says, "As a group we will walk to the pit but from there we will split into two groups, dauntless born with Aidan and I, and transfers with Four and Tris." With that we walk to the entrance doors of the pit where the transfers stay and the dauntless born go to the dormitories. When Amar opens the doors I notice that there are eight sets of bunks which means we are sharing our dorms with the transfers.

"Amar?"

"Ya?"

"Why are we sharing dorms aren't the transfers and the dauntless born usually separate?"

"They usually are but since there is only five of them and the boys outnumber the girls we feel it's safer for all of you to be in one dorm." I nod and walk over to the bunk that Miles is already at.

"Are we going to share a bunk, you and me, just like when we were little?" I ask him. Before we moved into the new apartment after Jonah was born there was only one extra room so Miles and I shared a room for eight years.

"I planned on it. I don't like any of the dauntless born besides you, Connor, and Scarlett and Scarlett and Connor are sharing a bunk, so?" Miles points to the bunks on our right and sure enough Scarlett and Connor are cuddling on the bottom bunk.

"Good because I feel the same way," I say and climb the ladder to the top bunk.

"Hey?"

"What?"

"Why do you get the top bunk?"

"Because you hate heights, remember?" Miles looks at me annoyed but I really don't care.

"Guys two more things before we leave one, training is from eight to six with a lunch break in there, second dinner is ready and go in the main entrance that's off the pit. You may sit where ever you like but remember you aren't, technically, supposed to be with your family. But, we are dauntless so, if you don't get caught by a transfer you should be fine."


	2. Chapter 2

Miles POV:

All of us walk to the dining hall entering through the pit like we were instructed. As we walk in the dauntless members cheer and I smile because it's these moments where I love dauntless the most.

Scarlett, River, and I walk over to our family's usual table. Everyone says hi to us before Will stands on the table, carefully, avoiding the food that sits on our plates.

"Initiates," he says loudly. The entire hall focuses their attention on him before he continues, "Initiates welcome or welcome back to the dauntless compound. As you entered this dining hall we cheered for you because for the next month you are our honored guests. You are such because everyone in this room understands the bravery it takes to get through our faction's initiation. We have already told you that you will have three weeks of stage one where you will learn how to shoot, aim, and fight. In your three days of stage two you will learn to face your fears. And finally on the last day of initiation you will go through your fear landscape where you will show us how you act in the midst of fear. All of you become members but you will be ranked and will pick jobs accordingly. If you have any questions come to either your leaders which are Amar, Four, and myself or your instructors Tris, Aidan, and again Four," Will finishes his speech and sits back down. Everyone turns back to their food, well everyone but me, I linger on Will's speech. All my life I have been compared with River because we are twins and she has always had better aim and can shoot better than I can. So, I have made it my goal for initiation to not only do good but beat River at least in stage one.I would say in stage two and three as well but we already have an unfair advantage in that and I don't want to be that selfish. Mom and dad wanted to see if we were divergent so they had us go through a simulation like we do in stage two.

When Scarlett, River, mom, dad, Will, Amar, and I have finished dinner we grab Aidan and get the rest of the initiates. Mom explains to the transfers what Amar and Aidan before letting us in the dormitory. When she does I sit on my bed and close my eyes.

"Anyone who wants to go to the tattoo parlor and possibly get a tattoo follow me and Scarlett," River says as she stands at the door. Surprisingly Rose, the girl from amity, and Dylan, that girl from candor join them. I decide to go as well even though I don't want a tattoo. Connor walks with me to the four girls that ate waiting to go.

We walk up the rock path on the pit wall that leads to the tattoo parlor. I try to ignore my fear of heights as River explains more about the compound and what life in dauntless is like. At one point Dylan asks if Jonah is really as scary as we made him seem.

River answered with, "He's a sweetheart unless you get him pissed off. That's when you need to watch your back."

We enter the parlor and Tori smiles at us from behind the counter, "Hey guys who are the two?" she asks referring to Dylan and Rose.

"This is Dylan and Rose, they are transfers and I thought why not let them meet the best tattoo artist in the compound," River says. Bud walks in from the back room and looks at River offended.

"Its like I don't even exist," he says before kissing Tori's cheek. They got married when we were ally little and supposedly River was the flower girl and I was the ring bear.

"Sorry Bud I meant artists," River says emphasising the 's' and letting out a laugh.

"What can we do for you guys?" Tori asks smiling.

"I've been meaning to get that drawing you showed me a while ago." River says.

"And I want a quote," Scarlett says.

Bud takes Scarlett back to his chair and Connor follows behind. River sits in Tori's chair as she grabs a piece of paper out from under the counter and joins her. Dylan and Rose walk around looking at the different drawings on the walls and after a minute I decide to do the same.

I walk around for a minute before I see one that catches my eye. Its an owl that's holding a key and the key hole is in its stomach. I'm staring at it as Bud walks over to me and says, "I love that one and I actually drew it. Usually I like Tori's drawings better than my own."

I let out a laugh before asking, "What does it mean?"

"I don't know, that up to you," Bud replies.

"Owls symbolize knowledge and the key in its claws is to unlock the owl's knowledge that's why the key hole is on him. The diamonds inside the eyes represent the riches that the owl's knowledge can provide. But the knowledge isn't an erudite kind of knowledge, its stronger like dauntless knowledge. How we strategize fights and things like that."

"Good, it seems like you understand the point I was trying to get acrossed."

"Thanks. Can I get it on my right side?" I point to the place I mean.

"Of course." Bud grabs the drawing and we walk back to his chair, he draws template and I take my shirt off. I catch Dylan looking at me a few times but I don't do anything about it. After Bud is done drawing he places the template on my skin and starts the tattoo machine, the pain of the needle is present but its a tolerable pain. And after forty-five minutes its over, Bud bandages it up and I pay for it surprisingly it only cost me ten points.

Everyone who is getting a tattoo has gotten theirs so we leave and walk back to the dormitory. When we get there its silent, most people are still awake since its only eight o'clock but the only noise is from the hallways and the occasional flush of the toilet are a sink running.

I decide to just get ready for bed, I walk into the bathroom and change into a pair of black sweatpants that they provided and keep on my black shirt that I had. I brush my teeth before I walk back and lay down. With in minutes I drift into a dreamless sleep.

AN: I know I described Miles' tattoo terribly sobi posted a picture of it on tumblr by account is primrose431.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Hey guys! So, the response to this story so far is great but one of the things that motivates me most is when people leave reviews whether it's a compliment or constructive criticism. Thanks!

River POV:

Tori grabs the sketch from under the counter before joining me back at her tattooing chair where I already sit. She sits at her drawing desk and makes a stencil before applying it to my left shoulder.

"Why do you like this sketch so much?" Tori asks me as she starts up the machine.

"Because," I say not wanting to explain it more.

"Because why?" she taunts.

"Because it reminds me of your hawk tattoo."

"It does?"

"Ya and this one symbolizes freedom to me and I have always had a fear of being controlled."

"Wow, I never thought someone would be inspired by my tattoo." Tori says before pressing the ink wetted needle on my flesh.

"Are you kidding me? Tori you have always inspired me." she shakes her head not looking away from her work. "It's true. You and George transferred to dauntless to become brave and when you thought George died you didn't give up, you completed initiation. But you also never forgot him you promised to avenge him. Then when he showed up here you didn't get mad at him for doing what he did. You're a very inspirational person."

"Well thank you. It truly means a lot to me."

"No problem."

We sit in silence for another half an hour as Tori finishes my tattoo. The only noise comes from Dylan and Rose looking at the different drawings that cover the walls or Scarlett and Connor kissing and talking or the sound of Bud's tattoo machine as he works on Miles. I'm actually really surprised he decided to get one, he's always been more cautious about things like this than I have.

When Tori is done I stand up and walk over to the floor length mirror with the smaller mirror she gave me. I look at the new ink that covers my skin, the black outlined feather starts at my left shoulder-blade and ends at the top of my back. Inside the feather is the colors of flame red, orange, and yellow. To me a feather that is no longer attached to a bird means its free and that's all I want to be, free. When I'm done looking Tori bandages it up as we wait for Miles to be done.

"What did you end up getting Scar?"

"A quote in a foreign language that means love conquers all," Scar says be for kissing Connor on the cheek. They really are cute couple, head over heels in love.

The five of us sit and talk for another twenty minutes be for Bud is done with Miles' tattoo and when he's all bandaged up Scar, Miles, and I pay. We then all walk back to the dormitory. I don't bother changing into any pajamas I just climb up to my bunk and fall asleep under the covers.

* * *

"Today starts your real first day of initiation. I will teach you how to shoot a gun while Four and Aidan put the data into the computer." mom says to the group.

"What data?" a transfer asks in the middle of a yawn.

"How you shoot. The data entered into the computers through out initiation will decide your rankings. And your rankings determine the order you get to choose jobs. "She walks over to the table with the guns on it and takes one before standing in front of a target. She takes stance before shooting three times, all hitting the dead center. "Now its your turn, take a gun and shoot until we break for lunch. "No one hesitates, we walk over to the table and grab one gun each then walk back to a target and begin to shoot.

After a couple of hours all the dauntless born have hit the target at least a few dozen times but some of the transfers aren't so successful. Including the transfer, Mitchell, who stands next to me. He has only grazed the edge of the target and is starting to get frustrated. Mom walks over to him and tries to help but apparently he learned that people from erudite don't need help from anyone.

"It's not fair that the dauntless born shoot in the same room as us," he says loudly.

"Oh, why is that?" mom asks him.

"Because they've all done this before so they're all better than us!" he's shouting now and everyone stops shooting.

"So, because they're the same age as you and they've done this before you think that you shouldn't be shooting with them, correct?" Mitchell nods his head and I know the look that mom wears on her face. A face that shows she has a plan, a good plan. "And you think you could shoot in the same room as someone who's, I don't know eight?" he nods again and I cant help but smile. Mom turns to Miles and says, "Go get Jonah, Skylar, Xavier, Zeke, and if Sebastian is with them bring him too. They should be in Zeke and Shauna's apartment, they both had the day off today." Miles nods and walks out of the room to go to find them. While mom loads one round of bullets in five guns and gives Mitchell one of them. "Aidan could you bring me five new targets and place them in a line thirty feet away from where Mitchell and I are standing?" mom asks Aidan who sits at a table with dad that has two computers sitting on it.

"Sure," he replies and walks into the supply room grabbing five new targets and placing them thirty feet from where mom and Mitchell are standing like instructed. He then returns to his seat next to dad and Miles walks back in with Zeke, Jonah, Skylar, Xavier, and Sebastian.

"Is Miles serious about a transfer not thinking its fair that dauntless born and transfers shoot in the same room?" Zeke asks walking up to Tris with the kids in tow. Miles walks over to where the rest of the transfers have grouped on the wall.

"He sure is and here's the boy, Mitchell," mom tells Zeke.

"What faction did you transfer from boy?"

"Erudite," Mitchell replies in a shy voice. Zeke just nods and turns back to mom.

"So, what are we doing here?" he asks her.

"Well Mitchell thinks he can shoot against eight year old and I wanted to see if he could actually do it," she says handing Sebastian a gun. "Mitchell and Sebastian, stand in front of a new target." they do. "Now Sebastian is nine so lets see how you do with him. Both of you shoot a single bullet and we will see who shoots better." They both shoot a single bullet, Mitchell hitting the outer most circle of the target over the person's silhouette chest, and Sebastian hitting the center of the circle about an inch away from dead center.

The other three shots do go much better. Skylar hits a few inches away from dead center when Mitchell hits the same spot as before. Xavier hits about the same place as Skylar and Mitchell hits the middle ring. Jonah is the last to go and he hits dead center while Mitchell hits the middle ring again.

"Well that was interesting," mom says mockingly shocked, "You are all dismissed for lunch.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I forgot to say this in the last chapter but I did put Scarlett's and River's tattoos on my tumblr account which is primrose431. And please review its highly appreciated!

Miles POV:

I get ready for the beginning of the second week of initiation early. Yesterday mom and dad said we were doing something fun today since we've worked so hard the past week. I actually have no idea what we are doing since we had the annual late night capture the flag game two nights ago, where Scar, mom, and River beat Connor, dad, and my asses .

"Hey Miles! Why up so early?" Rose says walking up to me.

"No particular reason, really, I was thinking about going to the training room and practice some stuff before we go off and do whatever activity my parents have planned," I say.

"Oh, how is that?" I look at her confused, "You know, having your parents be your instructors."

"Fine, actually, they've been instructors since before River and I were born so I guess it would be weird if they did anything else."

"Makes sense, I felt the same way with my mom."

"Why? Who's your mom?"

"Johanna Reyes," Rose whispers. Shock spreads across my face.

"Your mom is the leader of amity."

"Shhhh I don't want anyone to know," she snaps, "She's not the leader she's the representative. And why are you acting so surprised, your dad is a leader, and both of you parent's dads were leaders" I freeze in the spot I stand. A moment later I snap out of my daze and lead Rose out into the empty hallway.

"How the hell do you know who my father really is?" I whisper so quiet that the security cameras couldn't even be able to pick the sound. Rose's face settles from the scared look that was on it before.

"I have gone to a lot of leader meeting because of my mom and he went by his real name there. Why? I thought a lot of people knew his real name?"

I back away from her as I realize what I just did. Dad told River and I a couple of years ago about the abuse Marcus inflicted on him and ever since the mention of him makes me think that someone has found out the truth about him. "Ya they do, sorry."

"What's the matter? Are you okay?" I nod my head and walk to the training room. I don't look back but I know Rose is following me by the sound of her running footsteps behind me.

"I'm fine Rose, just not used to people from different factions knowing my dad's name."

She looks at me funny, like she knows something's up, and says, "Alright then. Why don't you come with me to get breakfast first."

"Sure."

* * *

"Today we will be doing something a little different. For this morning you have two options you can either go zip lining with Tris, Aidan, and a few of our friends or you can stay with me and Amar and play capture the flag again. Its your choice," dad says.

"I will warn you that zip lining does involve being up very high. So, if you're afraid of heights I wouldn't recommend it," mom tunes in. "At one o'clock we will come back, eat lunch, and then continue with training."

"People staying step forward," dad again. I know that I will be staying but I refuse being the first person to step forward. Luckily, Rose steps forward and that's enough for me, I step forward too. Also Oscar, Tyler, Dylan, Cassidy, Eve, Via, Mitchell, Logan, and Juliann decide to stay. Which means River, Scar, Connor, West, and Jackson are going zip lining.

The five walk out with mom and Aidan, leaving us facing Amar and dad.

"Alright, you have already played this game once but this time I want you to focus more on strategy. We will be staying here in the compound and going up to a floor in the glass building that is designed for this."

* * *

I stand behind a pillar near the other team's flag with Rose next to me. She's on my team along with Dylan, Cassidy, Oscar, and Via with dad as our captain. It's the same as the game we played a couple of nights ago but this time we don't have paint guns. So, our team has decided to play it very safe. Rose and I are the fastest out of our team so we will run and grab the flag as the rest of the team leads them away.

I hear a battle call that sounds like it comes from Oscar and then footsteps running away from us. I peak around the pillar and see that no one is there. "Come on its clear," I whisper to Rose. She nods and we sneak out quietly so no one will spot us. We make it to the flag and reach for it at the same time, our hands touching. I look at her and she looks at me. I can see the red appearing on her cheeks before she looks away and pulls her hand. I grab the flag and shout, "We've got it! We've got their flag!" I minute later the rest of our team and the other team. Our cheering and theirs with either disappointed or pissed off looks.

"Well, if we couldn't beat your mom at least we beat Amar," dad says walking up and putting his arm across his shoulder, "Nice job Miles."

"Thanks dad."


	5. Chapter 5

River POV:

Mom, Aidan, Scar, Connor, Jackson, West, and I leave the training room and walk to the chasm where Zeke, Shauna, Christina, Uriah, George, Maeve, Lynn, Will, Shai, Marlene, Keith, Dimitri, Alia, Quinten, Sebastian, Jonah, Skylar, and Xavier stand waiting. When we reach them Scar gives Uriah a hug and after they release she turns and gives Christina a hug. I forget that she hasn't seen either of her parents for the past week, unlike me who has seen my parents everyday.

"Where's everyone else?" Scar asks.

"Lily can't go because of her pregnancy and Jake refused to leave her. So, they are watching the kids who are too small to fit the harnesses," Zeke says. She nods.

"Alright, Connor you've met the family. But Jackson and West this is Zeke, Shauna, Christina, Uriah, George, Maeve, Lynn, Will, Shai, Marlene, Keith, Dimitri, Alia, Quinten, Sebastian, Jonah, Skylar, and Xavier, " mom says pointing to the person the name belongs to.

"I already know about you guys who were in my dad's initiation," West says referring to Christina, Will, Uriah, Marlene, and Lynn. "And he said you're all idiots who have high positions because he was smuggled out of his."

"No actually the reason I got the leadership position over him is because he opened his big mouth. Kind of like you are now," Will says harshly causing West to shut up.

"Lets go before someone gets killed," Shauna says and we walk up to the train platform right as the train is driving by. We all jump into the last car before the train leaves the platform. I sit on the edge of the train and look at the city for a minute before I hear someone sit next to me. I look and see that it's just Dimitri.

"Hey," I say to him. He doesn't respond." What's wrong?"

"It's just strange not having Miles, Scarlett, and you around. I even miss Connor hanging out with us and I don't really like him all that much," Dimitri says laughing at the last part. I can't help but laugh too, it took me awhile to even talk to him when we were in the same class in the lower level school.

"Ya he is pretty weird but he makes Scar happy so I'm not complaining."

"Is it hard?" Dimitri must see my confused looks because he continues, "initiation."

"Oh, not really. I mean we have trained for years just so we can pass initiation and so far it's working. I think Scar, Miles, and I are the top three but I'm not positive."

"But no one can prepare for stage two."

"Sure you can."

"How?"

"If you are aware of your fears you can calm down faster." now Dimitri has a confused look on his face, "I know that I have a fear of having no control and Miles has a fear of heights. Do you know any of your fears?" I ask him.

"I have a fear of being trapped."

"Confinement." he nods.

"See, the three of us already know one of our fears so when it shows up in stage two."

"Thanks for the help," Dimitri says with a smile before standing up and walking over to Zeke.

"Time to jump!" Will yells over the wind. I stand up a take a step back before jumping onto the grass that surrounds the Hancock building. Mom jumps last and we walk into the building. Uriah presses the elevator button but the doors don't open.

"Zeke did you forget to come and turn the generator on again?" an angry Uriah asks Zeke.

"No!" Zeke says. He tries the button again and the door opens. He turns to Uriah and says, "Wow Uriah."

We step into the elevator and to he door closes. Christina presses the button for the one-hundredth floor before we begin to ascend.

I like the elevator ride up as much as I like the zip lining. The speed of the ride and the sensation of being lifted off the ground is so exciting.

The door opens at the top and as usual the latter in leaning on the hole in the ceiling I volunteer to climb first as Zeke holds the latter from the bottom. I then hold the latter for everyone else as they climb.

The door opens at the top and as usual the latter is leaning on the side of the hole in the ceiling. I volunteer to climb first as Zeke holds the latter steady from the bottom. Next, I hold the latter for everyone else to climb.


	6. Chapter 6

Aidan POV:

I climb up the ladder last to make sure everyone gets on the roof safely. River holds the ladder as I climb; at the top I give her a smile before walking over to Zeke to help him with the harnesses.

"Hey River. I've watched you shoot over the past week, you're really good," Jackson says behind me.

"Thanks," River says in the tone she uses only when she feels uncomfortable.

"She's okay for being the instructors' daughter," West says in his usual candor sounding voice that he got from his dad. It's so annoying when he makes comments like this but that's why he does it so I refuse to let my aggravation show.

"Alright that's enough West!" Tris demands. I pay my attention back to helping Zeke put Shauna into a harness. Once she's in Zeke and I pull her back before letting her go. She soars down the line whooping and laughing.

"Alright who's next?" Zeke asks.

"Me Uncle Zeke!" Skylar says excited. I know she's done this before so she must really like it to have this kind of enthusiasm. Zeke and I help her into the harness before pulling her back and letting her zip down the line. She has the same reaction as Shauna only louder and more high-pitched. I turn back and a line has formed, River's family first and then the initiates. The only ones left are Zeke, River, and I.

"Why don't you go next Zeke, I could get River and myself hooked up," I say. Zeke nods his head and I help him with his harness, he hollers on the way down like everyone else.

"Alone again," River says with attitude spewing out.

"Indeed," I pause for a moment not sure if I should ask her this question, "Was Jackson flirting with you earlier?"

"Ya kind of, it was weird. I barely even know him."

"Well, it's obvious that he knows you."

"Who doesn't? I am the famous Four and Six's only daughter." I can't help but laugh because it's true, I don't know one person in this compound who doesn't know who River Eaton is. You could guess just by her last name who her parents are. "I think it's your turn." She nods and I help her into the harness and let her go. She doesn't scream like others, she just laughs.

I slip into the harness that will cradle my body through the ride and attach it to the line. I take my hands off of the brake and fly down the line.

After a minute the speed picks up so I close my eyes and put my arms out. It feels like I'm flying just like Tris told me it would last year when we went zip lining like this. I remain like this until I start to slow down and when I do I open my eyes. I slowly stop right above the group of linked arms that belong to my faction. I undo the straps that hold me to the harness and fall into their arms.

We talk for a minute before walking back to the train and jumping on. I sit by myself in the corner watching the city pass by. We drive by the erudite compound and I feel a pang of guilt, it was my home before I transferred. It was the place I left my mom and my two younger sisters. I can't stand it anymore so I focus on what's going on inside the train.

"Why are you such an ass?" River shouts to West.

"Why are you such a suck up?" West shouts back.

"Sorry I have more confidence around my parents," River says sarcastically.

"I'm confident without being a suck up. I don't show off like you do."

"Oh really, if you're so confident why is your name West Reed instead of West Hayes?"

"Because my mom is dauntless born and my dad isn't. He wanted to get rid of the last thing that tied him to candor so he took my mom's last name." Even though I hate Peter I can't blame him for taking his wife's name. I wouldn't want anything tying me to my old faction if I had the choice. "And look who's talking; you went by your mom's last name until a few years ago. "

"That's because no one knew my dad's real name until he became a leader!"

"WHY?"

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!" We begin to ride through the train platform and River jumps before anyone else. I know she just wants to get away from West but I jump off and follow her, so, I can make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. She runs through the compound to the path at the bottom of the chasm, Four told me about this. Their family is the only ones who use this.

River sits down hugging her knees to her chest. "I know it's you Aidan," she says quietly looking up at me. I make a brave move and sit down next to her. She lets go of her knees and leans back on her hands.

"What was that all about, you usually don't act so irrationally?"

"West was just making me so mad I couldn't help myself. Then he brought up dad and I gave up. I couldn't tell him why we went by my mom's last name." River says whispering the last part mostly to herself.

"I was kind of wondering why myself."

"Let's just say he didn't want to remember his childhood by being called the name he had in his old faction."

"He's very secretive about that, isn't he?" River nods.

We sit in silence for a few minutes before River says, "Do you think West is right? Am I a suck up?"

"No of course not," she doesn't look convinced so I continue, "Why would I be down here if I thought you were a suck up?"

"I don't know, to get on my dad's good side. He is your boss and your leader."

I nearly laugh at her comment but contain it after a few chuckles slip out. "River how many times have we hung out in the past year?"

"Like, every couple days," she replies.

"And how many of those times was I working?"

"None."

"So, do you think I would spend that much time with someone just to get on my boss' good side?" she shakes her head no and leans her head on my shoulder. I hesitate for a second before placing my arm over her shoulder.

"Why do you hang out with me so much then?" she asks. I honestly have no idea how to tell her this. So, instead of words I let my actions speak for me.

I unwrap my arm around her shoulder and grab her face before kissing her. It takes her a second but she kisses me back and she has her answer. She pulls back just enough to rest her forehead on mine. "I hoped that was why," she whispers before giggling. I laugh with her.

"I just have one more question."

"And what would that be?" River looks at me with mock confusion that makes me smile.

"Would you be my girlfriend?" she nods her head before kissing me again.

I'm the one to pull back this time. I just look at her and smile she's beautiful. "You do realize we will have to tell my dad."

"We will, but I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to enjoy this moment, right now right here."


End file.
